Cotton picking spindle attachment



March 22, 1960 J. OSHATZ ET AL 2,929,189

COTTON PICKING SPINDLE ATTACHMENT Filed March 6, 1958 jn'vemars; Jae/f055612? M i Eg ATTORNEY United States Patent F 3 Claims. (Cl. 56-50)This invention relates to a cotton picking spindle and more particularlypertains to a spindle renewal attachment of the character set forth inthe patent to Bruner et al. No. 2,795,918 issued December 1, 1953, whichattachment is designed to be applied to the conventional cotton pickingspindle embodied in cotton picking machines.

Such cotton picking spindles as now generally employed embody a shafthaving an integral pinion on one end thereof and an elongated taperedhardened metal portion forming its other end having several flat facesextending longitudinally thereof provided with a series of spaced apartpicking spurs which are so shaped as to snare and pluck the fibers of acotton ball against which the spindle is rotated, and from which thefibers accumulated thereon are subsequently removed.

The spurs on the spindle are subject to wear and accordingly requiresharpening and in time complete renewal of the spindle assembly isnecessitated. In either event it is necessary to remove the spindleassembly from the machine withconsequent shutdown of the machine for aprotracted period, since removal of the spindles involves demounting theshafts thereof from their bearings which is ordinarily done in a shop orrepair plant. Furthermore sharpening of the spurs or removal of the wornspindle is quite costly both as to loss of production and costs ofremoval, repairs or renewal and replacement in the machine.

The primary object of the invention is to enable economicalreconditioning of the cotton picking spindles in the field withoutremoving the spindles from the machine and in a fashion whereby suchreconditioning may be repeatedly elfected by successive removal andreplacements.

Another object is to provide a renewal attachment for cotton pickingspindles which is so formed that it may be readily mounted in telescopicengagement with a conventional spindle and securely engaged therewithwithout in any way altering the spindle or its assembly other than theremoval and replacement of an oil sealing ring with which the spindle isequipped.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved means formounting the attachment on a spindle in encompassing relation wherebythe attachment will be securely held in place against displacement bothlongitudinally and circumferentially of the spindle, yet will be subjectto ready removal and replacement.

A further object is to provide constructions in the attachmentco-operative with inherent formations in the spindle to hold theattachment against movement relative to the spindle and in such manneras to facilitate quick application of the attachment to the spindle andits removal therefrom.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in theparts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of partsherein- 2,929,189 Patented Mar. 22, 19st;

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after described and claimed, and as illustrated accompanying drawings inwhich: 7

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the attachment showing it asdetached, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view as seen in the direction of the arrow 2in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation showing the attachment as applied toa conventional cotton picking spindle, parts being broken away and shownin section;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 inthe direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the portion of the structure shown in Fig.4 defined by the broken lined rectangle indicated by the numeral 6; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates generally a"conventional cotton picking spindle which embodies a shaft B forrevolubly mounting in a cylindrical bearing C carried by a portion D ofa cotton picking machine, which shaft has integrally formed on its innerend a pinion E which meshes with a driving gear (not shown) by means ofwhich the spindle is driven in the usual manner.

The shaft B has an elongated tapered outer end portion F having aplurality of facets G extending along and throughout the length thereoffrom one side margin of each of which projects a row of spaced cottonsnaring spurs -H. i I

The bearing 'C' has a circumferentially extending con tinuous flange Jon its outer end which ordinarily is loosely engaged by an oil seal ring(not shown) carried on the shaft. B and frictionally engaged therewith,but which ring is removed for the purpose of the invention, it beingremoved to expose the flange J for utilization as a means of engagementfor the attachment.

In carrying out the invention, a tapered tubular shell 8 is provided,which shell is closed at its small end and has an open cylindrical endportion 9 at its large end. The tapered shell 8 is designed to receiveand completely sheath the tapered portion F of the spindle A and thenoverlie the spurs H in close proximity or abutting relation thereto,with the cylindrical end portion 9 encompassing the outer end portion ofthe shaft B in close fitting engagement therewith. For this purpose thetapered shell 8 has a smooth conical bore of circular cross sectionslightly larger in diameter along its length than the over-all diameterof the spindle A, except that the shell has a longitudinally extendingnarrow rib 10 on its inner periphery which rib is adapted to seat on oneof the facets G and abut the tips of the adjacent spurs H as indicatedin Fig. 7 to thereby secure the shell 8 against movementcircumferentially of the spindle A.

The tapered end portion of the shell 8 has a series of flat faces 11 onits exterior extending along the length thereof along one margin of eachof which projects a row of spaced cotton picking spurs 12 preferablysimilar in formation and arrangement to the spurs H on the spindle A butnot necessarily so.

The cylindrical end portion 9 of the shell 8 has an outwardly extendingcontinuous marginal flange 14 having its outer margin concentric withthe periphery of the end portion 9 and having a diameter at leastapproximating that of the flange J on the bearing C and adja-- cent towhich the flange 14 is designed to lie when the shell 8 is applied tothe spindle A.

The flange 14 has a flat outer face 15 extending perin the free slidingcontact therewith.

tion 9 which latter is slidably encompassed by an unyielding annulus 16having an inner fiat face 17 arranged to bear on the outer face. 15 ofth flange 1.4 in

, Projecting from the annulus '16 and integral therewith an annularelongated end sleeve 13 which is designed to encircle the flange J inclose contact with the perim: eter of the latter aad with the margin ofthe sleeve 18 extending from the inner margin of the flange J. Thesleeve 18 has a plurality of still but bendable tongues 19 .on itsmargin which tongues are bent inwardly into slidable engagement with theinner side of the flange I, as particularly shown in Fig. 5, on theshell 8 being snugly seated on the spindle A with the face 17 of theannulus 16 abutting the face 15 of the flange 14, thereby fastening theattachment against longitudinal move-j ment relative to the spindle. Aare then freely revoluble relative to the annulus 1,6.

I In the application and operation of the invention when it is desiredto recondition a mounted worn spindle A,

an oil seal ring with whichit is usually equipped is removed as beforestated, whereupon the shell 8 is i616".- scoped on the outer portionof'the spindle A in snug engagement therewith and with the flange 10seated on afacet G in abutting relation to the tips of the adjacentspurs H or nearly so. The annulus 1618 then engaged as esses areas; tshe. ou er c o heqyli d n P in installation and operational costs overthe usual prae? tice of replacing the conventional spindles.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown, we do notlimit ourselves to the exact details of construction set forth, and theinvention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of theparts and their formation and arrangement as come within the p view othe app ded aims.

We claim:

1. In a reconditioning attachment for cotton picking spindles, a taperedshell having an open end and-provided with longitudinal rows of cottonsnaring spurs;

' a longitudinal rib interiorly of said shell having one The shell 8 andspindle with the flange ld and secured to the flange I by means Y of thetongues 19 as before described, thus completing application of theattachment and effectively reconditiom ing the spindle A.

V In event the spurs 12 onthe shell 8 become excessively worinthe shellmaybe readily removed and re:

placed by a new or reconditioned shellin an obvious a fashion. Thisoperation as well as initial reconditioning of'th'e spindle may beaccomplished in the-field .With,

little or no delay and so as toefiect a. material saving of itslongitudinal margins extending in radial relation to said shell, aperipheral flange on the open end of said shell, an annulus looselyencompassing said shell adjacent said flange, and a sleeve on saidannulus loosely surroun in sai fla a pr j c g f om theor n at ai s rc It 2- T e s r t sal d .f rv n aim ,1 o her wi h bendable tongues on theouter end of said sleeve.

3- ;An. u il ar ac m n or t on Pi i pind es comprisi ga shell having atapered end portion and an opposed annular end portion and having cottonpicking teeth on its tapered endportion, a flange fixed on the outer endof said annular end portion having inner and outer ends and an annularperiphery, an annulus on said annular end portion slidably abutting theinner end of said flange and relative to which said annular end pen.tion is turnable, a sleeve fixed on said annulus looselyo r y ns he p rp ry o a d e; a be da le tor gues, on said sleeve adapted to be bentinwardly in; overlying relation to the outer end of said fla ge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNI ED T E A ENT Br net tal-

